Semibuoyant aircraft



Sept. 1, 1931. e. A. JENKINS SEMIBUOYANT AIRCRAFT Filed March 29, 193 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR E EDI'EI a AJenkins Sept. 1, 1931. G. A. JENKINS SEMIBUOYANT AIRCRAFT Filed March 29. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR I G aura e AJankin s BY 1/ V ATTORNEY 1 intake-edifice v Patented Sept. 1, 1931 GEORGE Jnnxins, or KILMJE HIA, PENNSYLVANIA smvrrBooYAn'r AIRCRAFT I Application filed March 29, 1930. Serial No. 439,926.

This invention relates to semi-buoyant aircraft and has for an object to provide an aircrafucmbodying buoyant chambers, or containers, in combination with the lifting and 5 sustaining properties of wings, and with improved means for assisting in the landing and takeoff ofthe craft. 1 v p A further object of theinv-ention is to pro vide in an aircraft, a body ofsuiiicient size to contain the necessary buoyant chambers and provide capacity for utilitarian purposes ,with'wings fixed to the body and co-operating with the buoyancy of the chambers in p 7 lifting and sustaining the organization and 16 lat-the same time to provide angularly adjustable fins,under'the control of the operator, whichshall be'tiltable in symchronism for assistinginthe landing and take-off et the ra tg A further. objectof the invention is to provide in an aircraft a body of suflicient capacity to contain buoyant chambers, or containers sustaining by; their lifting capacity a part oftheload, othermeans being provided for cooperating with said buoyancy forllifting and sustaining the weightin flight with improvedmeans for distributing the propelling power and improved means for controlling the landing and take-off of the craft. lV-ith these and otherobjects in view, the invention includes-certain novel featureselements, constructions; operations, functions and mechanical movements especially a body chavinginherent lifting properties, with mechanical assistance and synchronizing fins for assisting-in landing and taking oil of the crafts c f' p v fIn theudrawingsz I I Figure 1 is a view inside elevation of a body of conventional and approved shape embodying the present invention, 7 k x M Figure 2 is a top-plan view ofthe craft, and

Fgurefijs xavdetailside elevation of the mechanism for controlling the landing and Like character-sci reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. v r I The improved aircraft. which forms the subjectmatter of. this application, comprises a body 10. The body 10 may be of any form found desirable and is shown in the drawings as the shape approved under the present practice of aeronautics but such shape is not to be considered as any limitation upon the inis vention.

Properly located within any part of the body found desirable but referably at or adjacent to the top are gas ags 11. The capacity'of said gas bags in liftin power is a) less than the Weight of the craft ut by employing them a semi buoyancy is provided, relieving the craft of a great amount of the weight which must he lifted and sustained by the; mechanical means. The mechanical 85 means comprise wings 12 extending laterally from the sides of the body and positioned at such point as experience will dictate as being necessary to the proper trimming of the craft. The position of these wings therefore ,70 indicatedasnearer the bow than the stem is not to he considered as limiting the invention as to placing the Wings elsewhere for the proper trim, as may seem necessary.

Preferably also, the power plant will consist of .a plurality of motors 13 located Within the wing structure with the propellers 14 in advance of the wings. Other auxiliary motors 15, with propellers 16 will be located at other points in relation to the body as found necessary or desirable. v The craft is also provided with the usual fins 17 and 18 and rudder 19 and other paraphernalia at the stern for controlling the elevation and angular movement of the craft, in substantially the usual and ordinary manner, and no detail description of these parts is considered necessary At the how, the body is provided with a.

- control room or pilot house 20 with of course,

the usual and ordinary controls which are not shown inthe drawings, and which form no part of the present invention. From the pilot house however, control is provided WVlllCll will be hereinafter more fully described in detailfor the altitude fins 21 and 22. These fins 21 and 22 are mounted in normally horizontal planes extending laterally from the sides of the body and journaled to tilt upon horizontal axes and to assume varibe found mechanically expedient.

For controlling the adjustment of these fins a power transmission is herein disclosed merely by way of showing an operative structure but without limitation. This device as thus shown for illustrative purposes, comprises a sprocket 2 5upon the shaft 23 and a-sproc'ket 26 upon the shaft 24. A sprocket chain '27 passes about the sprocket 23 and may be con- 7 tinned the length of the body' but to eliminate "551' wheel may .be replaced by the ordinary skid weight, preferably is continued by cables 28 and29 connected with a sprocketcliain 30 which passes aboutan idler sprocket 31 ournaledin any approved manner as upon the 'shaftl32. A second idler sprocket 33 is also journaled in any approved manner as upon the shaft 34 and together with the sprocket 31, tends to maintain the sprocket chain30 in engagement with the lower segment. ofthe sprocket26. This arrangement causes oscillations of the shafts 23 and 24 in opposite directionsas will be apparent from an inspection. Y

Connected also. in some manner, with the .shaft23 is a sprocket 35 with a sprocket chain 36 receiving motion from a sprocket 37in the control room. It is obvious that this sprocket chain 36 maybe continuous or constructedas indicated in regard to'the sprocket chains 27 and 30 andthe showing of the'device as brokenat Figure 3 indicates that it may be continuedin any manner found expedient.

Any means for manualcontrol of the sprocket 37 may be provided as exegencies or practice maysuggest a crank-arm 38 being here shown as merelyindicative of the application of manual control. I

f Thecraft outlinedfas above, is intended to land eitherupon the ground or upon water. For landing upon the ground, landing wheels 39 are provided witha'caster wheel 40 at the rear. :It' is obvious of course, that this caster without in any .way departing from the invention, For water, pontoons 41 are provided to assist in buoying the craftand'maintaining it againstlateral tilting in the 'well known manner.

Assuming that craft is about to take-off,

either from the land or water,.the altitude "fins 2land 22v are manually tilted to the broken line position. the connection being such that the tilting is synchronized but the fins are tilted in the opposite direction, that is to say, in taking off, the forwardedge of the bow fins 21 is tilt-ed upwardly while the forward end of the stern fins 22 is tilted downwardly. It will be noted however, that the amplitude is different in the two fins, the tilting being greater in the bow fins than in the stern fins. This is brought about in the manner hereinbefore explained by the difierence in size between the sprockets 25 and 26. In flight, the position of the fins 21 and 22 will generally maintain horizontal positions but of course, for making an ascent, even in flight, the fins maybe employed in the manner outlined for taking off. When a'landing is to be made, the fins are tilted to the' dotted lines shown at Figure 1. That is to say, with the forward end of the bow fin depressed, and the forward end of the stern fin raised, the amplitude being the same as before described. 1.

These fins may also be employed in flight when it is desired to reduce the altitude.

" Of course, the semi-buoyant aircraft herein illustrated may be modified in various ways without departing from the invention herein set forthand hereinafter claimed.

The invention is hereby claimed as fol lows:

1. A semi-buoyant aircraft comprising a body having buoyant chambers, mechanical means for lifting and sustaining the weight in excess of the buoyant lift and fins adjacent the bow and stern simultaneously manually adjustable relative-to the horizontal plane, in reverse directions and different amplitudes.

2. A semi-buoyant aircraft comprising a body including buoyant chambers, mechanical lifting and sustaining means supplementing the buoyancy of the chambers, fins' positioned adjacent the bow and stern and normally occupyinghorizontal planes and manual means for simultaneously tilting the fins through different angular amplitudes.

3. A semi-buoyant aircraft comprising a body, buoyant chambers associated with the body, mechanical lifting and sustaining means. supplementing the buoyancy, fins extending laterally from the body adjacent the bow and stern and normally occupying horizontal planes and manual means for simultaneously tilting said fins in opposite directions, through difierent arcs'the while maintaining a fixed ratio of angular variation.

4:. A semi-buoyant aircraft comprising a body, buoyant chambers associated with the body, mechanical lifting and sustaining means supplementing the buoyancy, fins extending'laterally from the body adjacent the bow and sternand manual means for simulvtaneously tilting said fins to unequal angular ad ustments, sa d means maintaining a definite ratio of inequality. V

5. A semi-buoyant aircraft comprising a body, buoyant chambers associated with the body, mechanical lifting and sustaining means supplementing the buoyancy, fins extending laterally from the body adjacent the bow and stern and tiltable upon horizon- 'tal axes and manual means for tilting said fins simultaneously in opposite directions and with fixed ratio of unequal angular adjustments. i

6. A semi-buoyant aircraft comprising a 19 body, buoyant chambers associated with the 1 body, mechanical lifting and sustaining means supplementing the buoyancy, fins extending laterally of the body adjacent the bow and stern and tiltable upon horizontal axes, and manual means for tilting said fins simultaneously in opposite directions, said means efi'ectingthe tilting of the bow fin through a greater arc than the stern fin.

v In testimony whereof I have signed my 39 name to this specification.

GEORGE A. JENKINS. 

